Fan module

ABSTRACT

A fan module includes a housing, a connecting member, and a fan assembly. The housing includes a bottom wall and a sidewall extending up from the bottom wall. The connecting member is slidably mounted to the bottom wall. The fan assembly includes a frame slidably mounted on the connecting member, and a fan detachably received in the frame.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a fan module.

2. Description of Related Art

In an electronic device, such as a server or computer, two fans rotating in contrary directions and connected in series may be found, to increase air pressure and heat dissipating efficiency. The fans are often mounted to the electronic device with screws, which is inconvenient.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is an assembled, isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of a fan module.

FIG. 2 is an exploded, partial, isometric view of FIG. 1, wherein the fan module includes a fan assembly.

FIG. 3 is an inverted view of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an exploded, isometric view of the fan assembly of FIG. 2.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are isometric views showing the process of assembling the fan module of FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is an assembled, isometric view of the fan module of FIG. 2.

FIG. 8 is showing a disassembled state of the fan module of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure, including the accompanying drawings, is illustrated by way of examples and not by way of limitation. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, an exemplary embodiment of a fan module 100 includes a housing 20, a connecting member 40, a latching member 60, and a fan assembly 80.

The housing 20 includes a bottom wall 22, a top wall 24 opposite to the bottom wall 22, two end walls 26 perpendicularly connected between the bottom wall 22 and the top wall 24, and a plurality of partition boards 28 perpendicularly connected between the bottom wall 22 and the top wall 24. An inner space of the housing 20 is defined into a plurality of receiving spaces 29 by the partition boards 28. An opening 27 is defined in a side of the housing 20, communicating with each receiving space 29. Three mushroom-headed first guiding posts 222 extend up from the bottom wall 22 in each receiving space 29, adjacent to the opening 27. Two parallel slide slots 224 are defined in the bottom wall 22 in each receiving space 29, between the two first guiding posts 222 and parallel to the partition boards 28. Each partition board 28 defines two latching holes 282 adjacent to the opening 27.

The connecting member 40 includes a rectangular connecting plate 42, and two perpendicular flanges 44 extending up from two opposite sides of the connecting plate 42.

Three long depressions (dents 422) are defined in a top of the connecting plate 42. Each dent 422 extends along a lengthwise direction of the connecting plate 42. A guiding cutout 424 is defined in an end of each dent 422. Each dent 422 defines a long first guiding slot 426 in a bottom wall of the dent 422, along a lengthwise direction of the dent 422 and communicating with the guiding cutout 424. The connecting plate 42 further defines three parallel second guiding slots 427, and two fixing holes 428 at a first end of a second guiding slot 427. Each second guiding slot 427 is parallel to the first guiding slots 426. An cutout 429 is defined in the connecting plate 42, communicating with a second end of each second guiding slot 427 opposite to the fixing holes 428. One of the flanges 44 defines a long positioning slot 442, parallel to the first guiding slots 426.

The latching member 60 includes a fixing piece 62, a resilient latching piece 64 parallel to the fixing piece 62, and a connecting piece slantingly connected between the fixing piece 62 and the latching piece 64. The fixing piece 62 defines two through holes 622. Two triangular tabs 642 extend down from opposite sides of a distal end of the latching piece 64, away from the fixing piece 62.

Referring to FIG. 4, the fan assembly 80 includes a frame 82, two fans 87, and a resilient locking member 89.

The frame 82 includes a substantially rectangular bottom plate 83, a first sidewall 84 perpendicularly extending up from a first side of the bottom plate 83, a second sidewall 85 perpendicularly extending up from a second side of the bottom plate 83 opposite to the first side, and a third sidewall 86 perpendicularly extending up from a third side of the bottom plate 83 and connected between the ends of the first and second sidewalls 84 and 85. The bottom plate 83, and the first to third sidewalls 84-86 cooperatively bound a receiving space 852. Three mushroom-headed second guiding posts 832 (shown in FIG. 3) extend down from the bottom plate 83 away from the third sidewall 86. The first sidewall 84 defines a fixing hole 844, adjacent to the bottom plate 83. Four bar-shaped protrusions 845 intrude inwards from the first sidewall 84, and four protrusions 845 intrude inwards from the second sidewall 85 opposite to the protrusions 845 of the first sidewall 84. An upper portion of each protrusion 845 defines a latching hole 846. The first sidewall 84 defines two fixing holes 849 adjacent to the third sidewall 86 and two separated through slots 848 between the third sidewall 86 and the fixing holes 849. The third sidewall 86 defines a plurality of vents 860, and a locating slot 862 adjacent to the first sidewall 84. A handle 864 extends out from the third sidewall 86, adjacent to the second sidewall 85.

Each fan 87 includes a substantially rectangular shell 872 and an impeller 873 received in the shell 872. The shell 872 includes two opposite boards 875 and 877, two opposite side plates 874, and a top plate 876. The board 875 defines a round air inlet 8752. The board 877 defines a round air outlet (not shown) aligning with the air inlet 8752. A substantially U-shaped resilient pressing portion 878 is formed on a junction of the top plate 876 and each side plate 874. The pressing portion 878 includes a first portion extending up from the corresponding side plate 874 and a second portion extending toward the other side plate 874 from a top of the first portion. Two protrusions 879 protrude from the first portion of the pressing portion 878.

The locking member 89 is substantially Z-shaped, and includes a resilient mounting piece 892, an operation piece 894 substantially parallel to the mounting piece 892, and a connecting piece 896 connected between the mounting piece 892 and the operation piece 894. A distal end of the mounting piece 892 opposite to the operation piece 894 defines two fixing holes 897. Two opposite tabs 898 extend from opposite sides of the mounting piece 892, away from the operation piece 894.

Referring to FIGS. 5 to 7, in assembly, the operation piece 894 of the locking member 89 is inserted into the locating slot 862 of the frame 82 from the receiving portion 852. The tabs 898 are inserted into the corresponding through slots 848. Two screws extend through the fixing holes 897, to engage with the fixing holes 849 of the first sidewall 84. Each fan 87 is inserted into the receiving portion 852. The protrusions 879 of the fan 87 slide against the protrusions 845, thereby deforming the pressing portions 878, until the protrusions 879 align with the latching holes 846. The pressing portions 878 release their tension to make the protrusions 845 latch into the latching holes 846. The air inlet 8752 of the fan 87 now aligns with the vents 860 of the frame 82.

The latching member 60 is mounted to a bottom surface of the connecting member 40 by means of two fasteners extending through the through holes 622 and engaging in the corresponding fixing holes 428. The tabs 642 are opposite to the connecting plate 42.

The bottom plate 83 is supported on a top surface of the connecting plate 42. The second guiding posts 832 may be slidably inserted into the second guiding slots 427 by virtue of the cutouts 429. Therefore, the fan assembly 80 is supported but slidable on the connecting member 40. The flanges 44 abut and restrain the outer surfaces of the first and second sidewalls 84 and 85. A screw 88 slidably extends through the positioning slot 442, and engages into the fixing hole 844.

The connecting member 40 together with the fan assembly 80 is inserted into one of the receiving spaces 29 through the opening 27. The first guiding posts 222 are slidably inserted into the first guiding slots 426 by means of the guiding cutouts 424.

The fan assembly 80 is moved inwards, until the screw 88 abuts against an end of the positioning slot 442 adjacent to the guiding cutouts 424. The fan assembly 80 is moved in further to move the connecting member 40 into place. The tabs 642 abut against the side of the bottom wall 22 between the slide slots 224 and adjacent to the opening 27, to deform the latching piece 64 toward the frame 82. After the tabs 642 have aligned with the slide slots 224, the latching piece 64 is released, therefore, the tabs 642 are slidably received in the slide slots 224. The fan assembly 80 is moved inwards, until the tabs 642 abut against the ends of the slide slots 224 away from the opening 27.

The tabs 898 abut against the partition board 28 to deform the mounting piece 892 toward the frame 82, until the tabs 898 are in alignment with the latching holes 282. The mounting piece 892 is released to make the tabs 898 latch into the latching holes 282.

Referring to FIG. 8, in disassembling the fans 87, the operation piece 894 is pressed away from the partition board 28, thereby deforming the mounting piece 892. The tabs 898 disengage from the latching holes 282. The handle 864 is manually pulled to remove the fan assembly 80 out of the housing 20. The connecting member 40 together with the fan assembly 80 moves outward, with the first guiding posts 222 sliding in the first guiding slots 426 and the tabs 642 sliding in the slide slots 224.

When the tabs 642 abut against the ends of the slide slots 224 adjacent to the opening 27, the screw 88 abuts against an end of the positioning slot 442 away from the guiding cutouts 424. The fans 87 are then fully extended out of the housing 20. The pressing portions 878 are pressed towards each other, and the protrusions 879 detach from the latching holes 846. Therefore, the fans 87 are ready to be moved away from the frame 82.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the embodiments, the present disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in details, especially in the matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the embodiments to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

1. A fan module comprising: a housing comprising a bottom wall and a sidewall extending up from a side of the bottom wall; a connecting member slidably mounted to the bottom wall in a direction parallel to the sidewall; and a fan assembly comprising a frame slidably mounted to the connecting member and slidable in the direction parallel to the sidewall, and a fan detachably received in the frame.
 2. The fan module of claim 1, wherein a guiding post extends up from the bottom wall of the housing, the connecting member defines a long guiding slot to slidably receive the guiding post.
 3. The fan module of claim 1, wherein a guiding post extends down from a bottom of the frame, the connecting member defines a long guiding slot to slidably receive the guiding post.
 4. The fan module of claim 1, wherein the frame comprises opposite first and second sidewalls to sandwich the fan, wherein an upper portion of each of the first and second sidewalls defines a latching hole, the fan comprises a resilient pressing portion formed on an upper portion of each of opposite sides of the fan, a protrusion protrudes from the pressing portion to engage in a corresponding one of the latching holes.
 5. The fan module of claim 4, wherein the pressing portion comprises a first portion extending up from the side of the fan and a second portion extends toward the other side from a top of the first portion at a top of the fan, the protrusion is formed on the first portion.
 6. The fan module of claim 1, further comprising a latching member with a first end thereof mounted to a bottom of the connecting member, wherein the latching member comprises a resilient latching piece, a tab extends down from a second end of the latching piece opposite to the first end, the bottom wall of the housing defines a slide slot slidably receiving the tab.
 7. The fan module of claim 1, wherein the frame comprises two opposite first sidewalls, the fan assembly further comprises a locking member mounted to an inner surface of one of the first sidewalls of the frame, the locking member comprises a mounting piece fixed to the first sidewall of the frame with a first end, a tab extends from a second end of the mounting piece opposite to the first end and is exposed out of the first sidewall of the frame, the sidewall of the housing defines a latching hole, the tab is detachably engaged in the latching hole.
 8. The fan module of claim 7, wherein the connecting member comprises a flange extending up from a side of the connecting member, the flange defines a long positioning slot parallel to the sidewall of the housing, a lower portion of a corresponding first sidewall of the frame defines a fixing hole, a screw slidably extends through the positioning slot, and is engaged into the fixing hole.
 9. The fan module of claim 8, wherein the frame further comprises a second sidewall connected between the first sidewalls, the second sidewall defines a locating slot adjacent to the first sidewall mounting the locking member, the locking member further comprises an operation portion extending from the second end of the mounting and extending through the locating slot.
 10. The fan module of claim 9, wherein the second sidewall defines a plurality of vents.
 11. The fan module of claim 9, wherein a handle extends out from the second sidewall. 